1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to the field of ballistics and in particular to explosively formed projectiles. More specifically, the present invention pertains to a projectile utilizing explosively formed projectile warheads on hinged arms to breach a reinforced concrete barrier.
2. Background of the Invention
A continuing need in the Army is the ability to effectively breach man-sized holes in reinforced concrete barriers or walls. A conventional approach to breaching man-sized holes utilizes demolition or bulk explosive charges that are hand emplaced and detonated on the target. Another conventional approach to breaching man-sized holes utilizes explosively formed projectiles. The explosively formed projectile is created by using an explosive energy to deform a metal plate into a coherent penetrator while simultaneously accelerating the coherent penetrator to high velocities. Although these breaching technologies have proven to be useful, it would be desirable to present additional improvements.
After forming the initial breach, a second manual operation is typically required to remove reinforcing rebar in the reinforced concrete barrier. This manual removal of rebar is a lengthy process during which the soldier is exposed to harm. What is therefore needed is a system that has the capability of effectively removing rebar while simultaneously breaching the reinforced concrete barrier that can be deployed some distance from a target, reducing exposure of the soldier to harm. The need for such a system has heretofore remained unsatisfied.